Illumination Entertainment’s first feature Despicable Me earned 56.3 million domestically in its first weekend of release, nearly double what analysts had predicted. It seems like everyone got lured to the theater to catch a glimpse of those cute little yellow minions. Of course, a sequel is already in development.

Universal Pictures’ Illumination Entertainment have announced that they are developing a 3D animated feature film based on the Ricky Gervais children’s book series Flanimals. Simpsons writer Matt Selman is working on the script based on the four volume series illustrated by Rob Steen. The books take readers to a “far, far away to a distant planet” inhabited by 50 species of “ugly and misshapen” creatures.

Gervais will voice the lead character, a “pudgy, perspiring purple creature, goes on a mission to change the world.” ITV was originally developing a claymation television series based on the books, but the idea was scrapped for the feature film. Gervais has joked that “It will be great to play a short, fat, sweaty loser for a change. A real stretch.” Seems like the books were just about all the crazy creatures, and Selman is trying to form a narrative around the characters.